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Avant Retirees Visit NortheastAvant Retirees Visit Northeast
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We’re taking a 33 day trip to visit the Avant retirees that live in AL, NC, VA, PA, NJ, ME, Canada, MI and IN. We’ll take them out for a meal, give them a gift bag and listen to their stories. We want to encourage, bless and listen to their stories. Read more
  • JudyfromMoody
  • Glenn Stewart

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  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 1 Tyler, Texas - Sikeston, Missouri

    June 25, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    Tyler, Tx - Sikeston, Mo
    30, 047 - 30, 576
    Total 529 miles

    We left Tyler at 5:24am, just before sunrise. We listened to soft instrumental music to keep the girls asleep as much as possible.

    Being creative, we had an indoor picnic at Holiday inn. Just too hot to be outside 95 degrees.

    We had 1 meal for all 4 of us at Lamberts Cafe. Yum. Chicken fried steak. Famous for their “Throwed rolls”.

    The girls were out by 6pm on their pallets on the floor. Proud of them. No accidents “potty” ALL DAY. They are tired.

    We’ve enjoyed Annie, 4 and Amanda 2. Nothing melts my heart more than hearing the words, “hey Grammie, where’s Granddad?”

    Tomorrow, Ellen drives down and picks Annie and Amanda up and we continue on our Member Care trip to visit the Avant Retirees that live along the East coast.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 2 Sikeston, MO- Pinson, AL

    June 26, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    Sikeston, Missouri - Pinson, Alabama via Nashville, Tennessee
    Miles - 30,576 to 30,979
    TOTAL 403

    The girls slept ok. Annie got up several times to potty and then was frightened by the lightening and thundering.

    We ate breakfast and waited for Ellen to arrive at 9:30. Glenn exchanged all the goods, car seats and stuff from the RAV4 into Ellen’s van.

    We left at 10:20am in pouring rain and drive towards Nashville. We had a brief 15min stop at Glenna and Jim’s house and then onto Dean and Linda Self’s place. We’ve known the Cooks since my days of working with Billy Graham team.

    We had dinner and lovely conversation over the casserole and home-grown vegetables from Linda’s garden. We watched the Copa America and played Chronology. Glenn worked a puzzle.

    Dean and Linda served with us in Bolivia and then with CAM/Avant here in the US. I get on a weekly zoom call with Linda every Friday morning with 3 other missionary ladies from Bolivia days.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 3 Pinson, Al - Sanford,NC

    June 27, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    550 miles

    Rained off and on all day. It was a hard day of driving. All interstate.

    We drive thru Atlanta before the 2 big events. Copa America soccer game and Trump-Biden debate.

    We arrived at Forrest and Carol in time for a delicious meal followed by watching the debate.

    Tired. Glad to be with friends from Guatemala. Carol and I share the same birthday. We’ve known Carol and Forrest for 15 years and enjoy our friendship.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 4 Sanford, NC - Fuquay-Varina, NC

    June 28, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    46 miles

    We slept in. I had my normal Friday morning zoom call with Virginia and Beverly. While setting watermelon for breakfast, we played Phase 10. Great conversation and laughs.

    We had a leisurely drive to Linda Miller’s house. Glenn called up HS classmate Martha Seiford Smallwood, who lives in this same town and she drive over for a 1 hour visit.

    Wow, all the connections we made, people she knew and people she worked with. Linda and her late husband both graduated from Moody Bible Institute and met while working in Mexico. Linda with OM and John with Central America Mission.

    We took Linda out for dinner at a local bar-b-que restaurant. Then we did a letterbox. Fun.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 5 Fuquay-Varina, NC - Charlottesvill

    June 29, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    305 miles

    We had a leisurely departure from Linda’s house. We even stopped at a few garage sales.

    We arrived at Winnie Minear’s place near Richmond at exactly 1pm as planned. We treated Winnie to Outback Steakhouse. It had been a while since Winnie had eaten there.

    Winnie served over 35 years in Honduras and retired just before the CAM merger with Avant. She’s involved in her local church. We sat around the table recounting similar experiences and friends. She attended Moody in 1979.

    We then drove onto Charlottesville to the Schroeder’s home. They have converted their basement to a 1 room efficiency apartment designed first weary travelers like us. Nice nice place. We feel very welcomed and loved.

    We took Phil and Sylvia out for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. In our conversation, we discovered that Phil and Glenn were on the same floor, Culbertson 18th floor, in 1973 for 1 semester. Wow. Who knew that years later we would connect?

    Phil and Sylvia served many years with GMU/Avant in Italy and have now retired.

    We are here til Tuesday morning.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 6 Lynchburg, VA roundtrip

    June 30, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 95 °F

    154 miles

    We met Jack and Carolyn at their church for Sunday morning Worship. Beautiful service and church. We enjoyed lunch at TRUSS, a remodeled warehouse that is now a fancy and quiet restaurant. We’ve had a very enjoyable brunch and our conversation was so fun.

    We first met Jack and Carolyn on the Trans-Atlantic cruise in 2012 when they were attending a worship service. They gave us the idea and the importance of organizing a worship service while on a cruise ship - which we have done many times since and have enjoyed meeting new friends this way.

    We’ve kept in contact over the years. We’ve exchange Christmas cards and emails. Several years ago when we were driving to Colorado Springs, we stopped in Wichita Falls and had lunch with them, then one year, the Hills were on a Panama Canal cruise and we were their “excursion” as we met them at Puerto Quetzal and drove them up to Antigua for lunch and back to the port.

    So, it was rewarding to visit with them again, since they have moved to Lynchburg a few years back.

    But it gets better than this. Carolyn says, “hey you should join us on our cruise to Barcelona!” I said, “It’s in leaving on October 21?” “And is it NCL Sky?” You Betcha. We gave each other “high-fives” and bellowed out, “I can’t believe this?” It is so cool that we’ll be on the same upcoming trans-Atlantic cruise with friends we haven’t sailed with in over 10 years.

    Our conversation around the table was God-honoring, challenging and full of laughs and gratefulness to God since we can not control the circumstances around us and we can only Trust Him.

    Glenn and I explored “the old city Cemetery” in Lynchburg, looking for a letterbox, but didn’t find it. We took the long way home, back to the Schroeder’s home where we are staying.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 7 A Day to do nothing but REST

    July 1, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    We had a much needed day off. We slept in. I caught up on some emails. Then at 10:30am, we had our monthly Avant Retiree Zoom call. There were about 13 screens open and we had a great time of sharing and catching up.

    I also FaceTime with Ellen. Elizabeth had a big smile (snuggled tooth)

    For lunch, I made sandwiches and then we took a nap.

    For dinner, Phil and Sylvia prepared a delicious spaghetti dinner for us. Did I say delicious. We enjoyed our conversation.

    We noticed the deer in their yard.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 8 Charlotesville, VA - Reston, VA

    July 2, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    113 miles

    Another day, nice drive through the countryside up to the Reston, Virginia area. We had lunch with the DeWitts at their favorite pizza place. We recounted stories of how we had the empty camera equipment boxes from the bicycle trip mailed out to their DC house from California and how they kept the boxes till the end of Neil’s Coast to Coast trip. We’re so thankful that they were able to help us out. And then how when the camera guy, Jonathan, needed to mail them back to the company, he unfortunately forgot to remove the old address and the boxes were sent FEDEX back to the DeWitts house. It wasn’t funny at the time.

    We then drove to Walgreens to pick up my medication, however it wasn’t ready. We’ll get it tomorrow. Next stop was the Stites’s house. Betty next door let us in and gave us a tour. We are so grateful that the Stites are allowing us to stay here. Perfect spot. Perfect location.

    We had a 3:30pm Zoom call, that was cancelled or rescheduled. Then a call into Apple to work on syncing my email accounts on both of my devices. Then a 6:15pm Zoom call with the Guatemala field. Not very many people showed up.

    Glenn and I made a homemade cheesecake and decorated it like the American Flag - since 4th of July is just around the corner.

    For dinner, we enjoyed a very delightful time at Jim and Heidi Hansing, longtime supporters for us. They have prayed for us and they have supported our ministry. And wow, oh, the stories of times we took them to the lake, Antigua, Panajachel, over to the Foot’s house, climbing Pacaya, visiting with Margaret & Josh Perry, doing casita Benjamin, SETECA, Bob Henriques, the dump, the cemetery, boat ride, Nancy dress shop, and Nelly’s souvenir store etc. It was so fun to sit out on the back porch and recall all the precious memories we shared. Glenn even drove the family to Cobán to see other missionaries and go to some beautiful waterfalls.

    Yes, One FULL day. Full day of blessing and enjoying God’s faithfulness.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 9 Reston, VA - Fairfax, VA

    July 3, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    54 miles
    TOTAL miles 2,147

    Today, we saw the Seagers, the Cassadas and the Whittle’s.

    We enjoyed a quick 20 minute visit with Thane and Joy. Thane is 90 and Joy a young 83. We recounted times we have stayed in their home over the years. We have stayed with the Seagers as a family, then in 2006, Sherrie and I visited DC for a few days.

    Thane’s health is challenging. I don’t think he recognized us but nevertheless he laughed and smiled. It was a privilege to count Joy and Thane true friends that have prayed for us for years.

    We had lunch with Pat and Courtney Cassada over a bowl of salad. Glenn wore his Dallas Cowboys shirt, especially since Pat is a die-hard Cowboy fan. We love talking about challenges in our lives, aging parents and children.

    After an afternoon nap, we treated Avant retirees, Lee and Dianne Whittle at a local diner. They served for years in El Salvador, Spain and in the US.    Read more

  • Avant Retirees Visit Northeast

    Day 10 Happy 4th of July

    July 4, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Miles 31
    Total miles 2196

    We found a local Bolivian restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia that served saltenas and even fried yucca. Since the holiday traffic was so light, we ventured out. Delicious. Delicious. Brought back memories of our days in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Glenn even ordered fried yucca.

    Afterwards, we were heading towards the mall to see the sights such as Washington monument and the Lincoln Memorial, etc. Then I suggested we do a letterbox in the local cemetery. There were about 7 planted there and we found 4! Success

    We came home and did some computer work and now we’re waiting to watch the 4th of July special in 1/2 hour    Read more

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